Laser machine

Leo Voisine

Member
Messages
5,703
Location
East Freeetown, Massachusetts
I have a job that I am currently working on that may make enough money to get me into something new.
It will be a compliment to my shop and in no way detract from the current CNC router world.

In 2004 I looked into an Epilog laser engraver, but it was 18,000 and my blood was not good enough for the payment.

So today, armed with some new skills as a business man and a bit of creative er - negitiating, sales, technical advise, I "might" be able to add a 24x36 with 4" rotary axis laser engraving to my shop. Not used, brandy new.

I am also seriously considering buying an additional 24x36x6 with 6" rotary axis brandy new CNC router.
Water cooled ER20 spindle, T-track table, steel construction.
This will be strickly for sale and not to stay in my shop. FAR MORE robust that a CNC shark, of probotix, or CNC routerparts machine.
I already have a couple of interested "potential" parties lined up for this. Even if not - it will not be a hard machine to sell.

If all works as planned, the Laser machine will be free and clear totally paid for with no money out of my savings account.

Combining the woodworking shop, the CNC Router and a CNC Laser machine really opens some windows of opportunity.

I would be able to laser engrave pens - whooohoooo
How about laser engraved slimlines at $9.99 just as an advertisement, or just hand them out as a jesture of kindness with a handshake and my contact info on it. The cost of a dozen or two pens to gain hundreds of dollars in contracts sounds good to me.

Tell ya what - I will also be watching this one.
 
I've been considering a full blown 90w laser myself Leo, one like Jay got, but I do a have the midwest epilog laser rep just down the road, so may see about what he can do also. I was looking at some laser cut gun accessories just this afternoon and thought it might be a good way to supplement my bad habits. ;)
 
The Chinese manufacturer I have been working with can supply me at about 20% to 30% of the cost of a locally purchased machine. I don't mean 20-30 % lower in price. I mean the price is 20-30 % of local purchase.

I am in process of importing and selling a 4x8x12" CNC router. I should make decent profit on that. Then I buy the other two machines and sell the one additional router. The net profit should entirely cover the Laser including all import fees.

I would LOVE to buy American made, but the chips are down, what else can I do?

When I looked at Epilog in 2004 it was $18,000. That is NOT a happening thing for me at all.

The Chinese manufacturer is very responsive and supportive. I have access to MANY purchasers and their experiences both with routers as well as laser owners. I am more than happy with my machine.

I am not sure of the final numbers on the Chinese laser but like I said is is in the 20-30% range based on the Epilog pricing. I also have added a rotary axis that was not on the Epilog.

We have 2 Epilog Lasers where I work to laser engrave metal and they work well. Epilog is a good product. It's just not in my financial ability.
 
Sorry to just pop back in, life has been crazy the past year! I'll save that all for another day & thread!

On this topic - I ordered a "100w" Chinese laser last week that should arrive via the slow boat sometime early next month. The quotes are because as i researched extensively, the CO2 tube in my machine is actually 80ish watts rating if I want it to last longer than a week. Luckily I watched a TON (all of his) videos by Russ Sarbar and his adventure with a machine almost exactly like the one I ordered. I also got the jaw type rotary axis with it as I intend to laser the stainless cups and things that I powder coat to customize them rather than the vinyl pull method I'm using now.

I'll post back here how it goes because I too looked at Epilog and $36k vs my outlay of $3,450 (including freight) just wasn't going to happen!
 
:lurk:

What are you planning to use the laser for? From what little I've read some of the Chinese machines are better at cutting and some are better at engraving (largely because of the control software.. which seems like they could fix to be good at both .. but..). Will certainly be interesting to hear how it goes!
 
Sorry to just pop back in, life has been crazy the past year! I'll save that all for another day & thread!

On this topic - I ordered a "100w" Chinese laser last week that should arrive via the slow boat sometime early next month. The quotes are because as i researched extensively, the CO2 tube in my machine is actually 80ish watts rating if I want it to last longer than a week. Luckily I watched a TON (all of his) videos by Russ Sarbar and his adventure with a machine almost exactly like the one I ordered. I also got the jaw type rotary axis with it as I intend to laser the stainless cups and things that I powder coat to customize them rather than the vinyl pull method I'm using now.

I'll post back here how it goes because I too looked at Epilog and $36k vs my outlay of $3,450 (including freight) just wasn't going to happen!

Thank you for posting that.

It would be AWESOME, if you could post about the things you do with it, both good and bad.

I am in the same boat, but your boat is WAY ahead of my boat.

Right now, I am at $3000 on the laser with rotary. I joined the RDWorks forum to gain more information and insight. I am pretty sure Russ is involved in that forum. Seems you gotta know someone in order to be accepted into membership there. Fortunately a friend of mine Gene Uselmen is a moderator and vouched for me.

I am thinking 6 months to a year before I order.

Really though - post your experiences - THAT is a great learning tool for all of us. You gotta know - I will be doing that.
 
:lurk:

What are you planning to use the laser for? From what little I've read some of the Chinese machines are better at cutting and some are better at engraving (largely because of the control software.. which seems like they could fix to be good at both .. but..). Will certainly be interesting to hear how it goes!

It does have a lot to do with control for sure. Some are capable of only basic settings - for instance, one power and speed per program and must be run via USB from a computer. The one I ordered is called a DSP and it is capable of multiple power & speeds based on color "layers" and also when engraving an image they can handle a more '3d' effect by varying the power of the laser through a set range. There is limited success for laser to do a true 2.5d engraving because of the process. Rotary CNC is still going to be the go to on that I'm afraid! I should be able to easily cut up to 3/8 hardwood in a single pass.

Sounds awesome. Like a business inna box. :lurk:

It's gonna be FUN! I can hardly wait! Most of my excitement is for the stainless steel cups that I've been doing. I have sold almost a thousand of them! I have been making designs and cutting a vinyl stencil, putting that on a cup, powder coating, then partially baking and removing the vinyl while warm, then baking at full temp and time. With the laser I can powder coat a cup and fully cure it, then chuck it up in the rotary and zap the powder back off for the design. Much less consumables and much less time & work!
Here's some I've done for an example:
Product Sample Small.jpg

Thank you for posting that.

It would be AWESOME, if you could post about the things you do with it, both good and bad.

I am in the same boat, but your boat is WAY ahead of my boat.

Right now, I am at $3000 on the laser with rotary. I joined the RDWorks forum to gain more information and insight. I am pretty sure Russ is involved in that forum. Seems you gotta know someone in order to be accepted into membership there. Fortunately a friend of mine Gene Uselmen is a moderator and vouched for me.

I am thinking 6 months to a year before I order.

Really though - post your experiences - THAT is a great learning tool for all of us. You gotta know - I will be doing that.

I'm over at RDWorkslab as well, I'll say hello haha I haven't seen Russ on there but I know he communicates with Keith a lot. Maybe he uses a pseudonym so he's not accosted with questions!?

I certainly will post the experience and pictures of what I receive and my successes and failures here on FW as this is really a handy tool for wood as well. I haven't been able to use my CNC for wood because every time I set it up for wood (big pain) I get a call for something metal...... I had it all set up to route a sign when the local machine shop that I do a lot of work for called and needed 3 flanges cut from 3/4" plate stat so out went the wood setup and in came my forklift with a sheet of heavy plate. It's still on the table and I haven't had time to move it.... been 3 weeks :)

Good to see everyone again and I'll be posting my adventure in a new thread when the thing arrives! - Robert
 
Getting closer to reality.

So the question of the day is - why add a laser to the shop.

I am a big believer is "build it, and they will come".

On my money projects on the side --- one project is earning money for the laser I have been paid about half the project value, and I still have more work to do. It's only in the hundreds of dollars, but it helps.

On the larger project -- this will pay fr the majority of the laser machine. I am sure there will be more work in the future.

I look at CNC training classes, and I look at CAD/CAM training classes and I have taken hoards of training classes. Currently, a pre-designed class with a ready made syllabus for a group is $800 for a 3 day class. They teach what they have predetermined to teach and there is a class of who knows how many in the class. Slam Bam Thank you Man. Custom one on one classes are $150/hr.

So, I am consulting on the machine purchase, organizing the purchase, shipping, installation, setup, fine tuning, installation of control software, installation of programing software, training in machine operation, training on programming software. A fair bit more than 3 days.

I'm gonna order a laser machine as soon as I determine what I need in a machine.

Whooo Hooooo
 
You're such a great planner Leo! Comparably I seem to fly by the seat of my pants! :rofl:

I ordered one much in the same way as every other piece of equipment I've ordered - an integrated addition to a process I already use that expands into more.... I got a CNC plasma as a progression from the HVAC business I owned so that I could do metal artwork from home. I added rotary to it for wood to be able to use mixed media. I ordered a powder coat setup because painting the metal art was such a pain and built a 7'x7'x10' oven to be able to PC large projects as well as small. Car parts, wheels, lawn furniture, and other items then found their way into my shop for PC. I ordered a vinyl cutter to cut stencils for the PC on my metal projects and started cutting custom vinyl decals for a range of businesses and people. I saw a laser marked stainless tumbler and thought I could PC with a vinyl stencil for a better product and have made and sold over a thousand of them, adding 2 residential ovens and multiple custom racks to my pile of tools. I read about using laser to make the designs on my PC cups rather than pulling vinyl so I ordered one and have begun stocking up on other items that I can cut and engrave once it arrives. Customers have already inquired about cake toppers and custom wedding items for when it arrives....

I'm like an ADD kid at the mall.....
 
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